Conditions Without as
Leave out as and put the verb first: As jy hom sien, ... → Sou jy hom sien, groet hom van my. (Should you see him, greet him from me.)
How It Works
1. The pattern. Drop as and move the finite verb to the front of the condition. Other verbs stay at the end:
- As u enige vrae het, ... → Sou u enige vrae hê, ... (Should you have any questions, ...)
- As ek dit geweet het, ... → Het ek dit geweet, ... (Had I known, ...)
- As hy vandag tuiskom, ... → Kom hy vandag tuis, ... (If he gets home today, ...)
2. Sou for possible situations. Sou + infinitive is the most common starter and sounds like English should: Sou dit reën, ... (Should it rain, ...). It is typical of notices and letters.
3. Het for the unreal past. Het + ge- form, followed by sou ... het in the main clause, is the verb-first form of unreal past conditions: Het ek dit geweet, sou ek gekom het.
4. The main clause. The condition fills first place, so the main clause starts with its verb (see starting with a subordinate clause), or with dan: Sou dit reën, dan word die wedstryd uitgestel. A command simply follows: Sou jy hom sien, groet hom van my.
5. Negative conditions. The closing nie ends the condition: Het sy nie betyds gespring nie, sou die kar haar getref het.
Tip: In everyday speech, as is more usual: As jy hom sien, groet hom van my. Do not combine the two: as sou means as if (see as sou).
Examples (6)
- Sou jy hom sien, groet hom van my.
Should you see him, say hello to him from me.
Word by Word: Should you him see, greet him from me.
- Het ek dit geweet, sou ek gekom het.
Had I known, I would have come.
Word by Word: Had I it known, would I come have.
- Sou u enige vrae hê, kontak ons gerus.
Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Word by Word: Should you any questions have, contact us freely.
A typical line in formal letters and notices.
- Kom hy vandag tuis, sal ek hom vra om jou te bel.
If he gets home today, I'll ask him to call you.
Word by Word: Comes he today home, will I him ask to you to call.
- Sou dit reën, dan word die wedstryd uitgestel.
Should it rain, the match will be postponed.
Word by Word: Should it rain, then is the match postponed.
- Het sy nie betyds gespring nie, sou die kar haar getref het.
Had she not jumped in time, the car would have hit her.
Word by Word: Had she not in-time jumped not, would the car her hit have.
The negative condition ends with its own closing nie.
Common Mistakes
Keeping as in front of the verb-first condition.
As sou jy hom sien, groet hom van my.Sou jy hom sien, groet hom van my.Either use as with the verb at the end (As jy hom sien) or leave out as and put the verb first (Sou jy hom sien). As sou together means as if.
Keeping subject-first order in the main clause.
Sou u vrae hê, u kan ons kontak.Sou u vrae hê, kan u ons kontak.The condition fills first place, so the main clause starts with its verb: kan u. You can also start it with dan: dan kan u ons kontak.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A condition can start with the verb instead of as.
Related Patterns
- indienIf (Formal): Indien
Another formal if, used with the verb at the end.
Level 4 - Unreal Past Conditions
Het ek geweet, sou ek ... is the verb-first form of these.
Level 4 - as ... souUnreal Conditions: As ... Sou
Imagined situations, which can also start with the verb.
Level 4 - as souAs if (Formal): As Sou
As sou together means as if, not if.
Level 6 - al + Verb FirstEven Though: Al + Verb First
Another clause that starts with its verb, meaning even though.
Level 5
Practice Conditions Without as in Bubblegum
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